Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour comes to Liverpool for first time
Illustrator Nick Sharratt Set to Draw Liverpool Kids into World of Picture Books
Acclaimed illustrator and author, Nick Sharratt, will visit schools in Liverpool from 30 January to 3 February. Sharing his top tips for illustration and writing with more than 900 pupils, Nick will visit ten primary schools as part of the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour.
Sharratt's bold illustration style has made him one of the most recognised children's illustrators around. Perhaps best known for his work with Jacqueline Wilson and Julia Donaldson, he has won awards both for collaborations and his individual efforts such as Pants! and, most recently, Shark in the Park on a Windy Day!
Lively, inspiring and full of interactive fun, Nick’s events will be jam-packed with stories, games, and drawing. He will talk to pupils about working in the world of illustration, his inspirations, ideas and his love of doodling. As well as sharing his wonderful picture books with pupils, Nick will conduct a draw-along to demonstrate how he uses simple techniques to draw his famous characters and their expressions. He will read from his own books, focusing on rhyming and poetry from his collection of poems, such as Vikings in the Supermarket.
Commenting on his upcoming tour, Nick said:
I'm really excited to be visiting Liverpool primary schools on the Scottish Friendly Children's Book Tour. Although I've been to Liverpool before and know what a great city it is, this will be my first opportunity to meet and work with local schoolchildren and I can't wait!
I know we're going to have loads of fun sharing books, acting out stories, playing games and writing and drawing together. We'll be stretching our imaginations to invent new characters and I'm sure we'll be coming up with brilliant ideas for lots more books!
The tour is sponsored by Scottish Friendly Assurance and organised by Scottish Book Trust. Liverpool-based charity, The Reader, has worked closely with Scottish Book Trust to select schools and support the tour. The Reader changes lives and strengthens communities by inspiring and supporting people to read aloud together; they will conduct workshops with pupils taking part in the tour using their unique Shared Reading model.
Calum Bennie, Communications Manager at Scottish Friendly, funders of the tour, said:
Liverpool is of course associated with the ‘Paperback Writer’ but with the first-ever Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour to the city, we’re delighted to introduce pupils to the fascinating skills of the book illustrator. Nick Sharratt is a star illustrator and children will adore seeing him in action demonstrating how his illustrations really bring books to life.
Beth Goodyear, Schools Events Manager at Scottish Book Trust, organisers of the tour, added:
We are really looking forward to visiting schools in Liverpool with Nick. His books and illustrations are fun and engaging and pupils will be inspired by his enthusiasm for drawing and his action packed events.
Every year schools in up to 12 local authorities in Scotland and two in England receive author visits to inspire a love of reading, writing and illustration. The tour visits both primary and secondary schools and has enthralled over 70,000 children since it began in 1998.
Scottish Friendly has sponsored the programme for the past 19 years, touring some of the finest children’s authors and illustrators including Children’s Laureate Chris Riddell, Malorie Blackman, Michael Rosen, Jacqueline Wilson, Melvin Burgess, Steve Cole, Michael Morpurgo and Sophie McKenzie.
Tour dates and times for media and photographers to attend. Please RSVP to [email protected] or call 07763520003
Monday 30 January
10:15am: Broad Square Primary, Broad Square, Liverpool L11 1BS
2:45pm: Knotty Ash Primary, Thomas Lane, L14 5NR
Tuesday 31 January
10:30am: The Beacon CofE Primary School, Heyworth Street, L5 3QG
2:45pm: Wavertree CofE Primary School, Rose Villas, L15 8HJ
Wednesday 01 February
11:15am: Gwladys Street Community Primary School, Walton Lane, L4 5RW
2.30pm: Matthew Arnold Primary School, Dingle Lane, L8 9UB
Thursday 02 February
10:45am: Wellesebourne Primary, Abbotsford Rd, L11 5AY
2:45pm: Arnot St Mary Primary, Arnot Street, L4 4ED
Friday 03 February
10:45am: Booker Avenue Infant School, Booker Ave, L18 7HS
2.30pm: A: Stockton Wood Primary, All Saints Road, L24 3TF